67 



SPECIAL WO'BK O^F THE COMMISSION IN PiROBLEMS 

 OF CONTROL 



THE BLACK FDT AND ITS CONTROL 



The Black Fly was first 'determined to ooeur in Cuba when 

 material was received at the Experiment Station from Ouanta- 

 namo from a reported infestation on a few trees. This was in 

 August 1914. 



In April 1916 it was asicertained that this infestation covered 

 almost the entire igrove of Sr. iBertran 5 kilometers aut from 

 Ciiantanamo covering some TOOO citinus trees besides coffee, man- 

 go, guava aad others, and it was determined at this time to 

 undertake its eradication and control. 



In July 1916 was begun the work of control under the Com- 

 mission of Plant Sanitation. Sr. Patricio Cardin, member of the 

 Commission and Entomologist of the Experiment Station together 

 with Sr. Arango b^an the work. Pumps were purchased and 

 treatment of Sr. Bertran 's grove was begun, and later inspections 

 were made in the surrounding territory to ascertain the limits of 

 the pest. 



Iietter from Sr. Patricio Oardin to J. E. Johnston, dated July 24, 1916. 



On Saturday we left on horseback and returned on Sunday night, 

 covering some 22 leagues between going and returning, among the 

 hills of this region, that resemble very much those of Baracoa, but 

 owing to the heavy rains they were very muddy. The trip was toward 

 the northeast of Guantanamo, in the same direction that we took to 

 San Carlos, to see Mr. Ramsden. Aleurocanthus woglumi is found 

 distributed all along the road as well as in all the patios where there 

 was citrus in the town of Jamaica. From here the plague toritinuQgt 

 note that it was found on a plant that the wife of Angel Lopez, had 

 we made note as a point of interest of the house of Eugenia Rivera in 

 Casimba Abajo. The last place where we found it was in the village 

 of Palmar, which has no palms but much mud. It is interesting to 

 note that it was found on a plant that the wife of Angel Lopez,, had 

 brought from Guantanamo 4 years ago and that probably this served 

 as a source of infection in that locality. Also we found at the store of 

 Sr. Manuel Marn the Black Fly. 



We visited the farm Virginia, of Sr. Barrabeigt, which is a large 

 farm about 8 leagues from Guantanamo, with extensive coffee plant- 

 ings and many orange trees in the hills, but fortunately we did not 

 rind the Black Fly here. 



I assume from this that the plague is very extended and that it is 

 necessary to place a quarantine on all these places so that the insect 

 may not continue spreading. It is much to be regretted that this was 

 not reported years ago. 



